Tag: Lord Freyberg

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-04-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 17 March (HL7133) concerning the protection of personal health and social care data, what was the date on which the stakeholders committed to the delivery of the future state, without the need for interim Accredited Safe Havens.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Data Services for Commissioners Programme Board, which is the oversight mechanism with responsibility for the delivery of the future state, and comprises representatives from the stakeholder groups committed to its delivery, met for the first time on 9 December 2014. The delivery of the programme is ongoing and on track to deliver increasing levels of functionality from 2017 onwards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-07-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that patients suffering with radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer are not denied treatment due to the timeframes applied by NHS England for access to the new Cancer Drugs Fund.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England has advised that systemic therapy is available for patients with radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer through the continued funding of sorafenib for this indication via the Cancer Drugs Fund. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has been asked to develop technology appraisal guidance on the use of sorafenib and lenvatinib for this indication.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2015-11-30.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average turnaround time for cancer genetic tests relating to (1) breast cancer, (2) lung cancer, (3) colorectal cancer, and (4) melanoma, measured from biopsy to a discussion of the results with the patient, in (a) tertiary care centres, (b) secondary care centres with in-house testing, and (c) secondary care centres with third-party testing.

Lord Prior of Brampton

NHS England has not, to date, undertaken a direct comparison of the English and French health systems in respect of genetic testing practice for cancer.

NHS England does not hold data on the percentage of stage 2b, or higher, cancer patients in secondary and tertiary centres who were genetically tested. Detailed information on the clinical circumstances, or reasons, for referral for genetic testing for individual patients is not currently collated on a national basis.

NHS England does not consider business cases from individual National Health Service trusts in relation to the adoption of new genetic tests. Instead, NHS England considers national clinical commissioning policy proposals on the eligibility of a particular test, or treatments to be made available in the presence of particular genetic markers. These are considered and where agreed, funded consistently across England for services falling within NHS England’s direct commissioning responsibilities.

Examples include the separate policies (published in July 2015) confirming eligibility for Ivacaftor for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in the presence of certain gene mutations, and confirming eligibility for testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, respectively. Copies of the policies are attached.

In addition, the UK Genetic Testing Network currently presents new genetic testing proposals to NHS England for funding consideration based on the conclusions of their assurance programme. These are considered, alongside other new policy proposals, as part of the annual funding prioritisation process, where there is a net annual investment to be made to support their adoption.

Information on the average turnaround time for cancer genetic tests is not currently collated, or analysed, nationally. However, NHS England will be undertaking a procurement exercise in the coming months to support the strengthened provision of genetic testing across England. This includes more consistent reporting of activity and other performance indicators, including the timeliness of reporting on receipt on referrals. The supporting national service specification, setting out the standards required of commissioned providers, has been the subject of a recent public consultation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-02-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the one-year survival rate for each of the last 15 years with regard to: (1) C50, malignant neoplasm of breast, (2) C61, malignant neoplasm of prostate, (3) C33-C34, malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung, (4) C18-C20, malignant neoplasm of colon and rectum, (5) C43, malignant melanoma of skin, (6) C82-C85, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, (7) C67, malignant neoplasm of bladder, (8) C64, malignant neoplasm of kidney, except renal pelvis, (9) C91-C95, leukaemia, (10) C25, malignant neoplasm of pancreas, (11) C54-C55, malignant neoplasm of corpus uteri and uterus, part unspecified, (12) C15, malignant neoplasm of oesophagus, (13) C00-C14, malignant neoplasm of lip, oral cavity and pharynx, (14) C56-C57, malignant neoplasm of ovary and other unspecified female genital organs, (15) C16, malignant neoplasm of stomach, (16) all other neoplasms; and what were the weighted average one-year survival rates for those tumours listed in (1) to (5), and those tumours listed in (6) to (15).

Lord Bridges of Headley

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-05-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to address the key findings of the 2013 report Analysing Air Pollution Exposure in London, and whether additional powers will be given to boroughs, particularly in deprived communities, to further reduce levels of NO2 emissions that are above the EU limit for 2020.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Government’s National Air Quality Plan, published on 17 December 2015, sets out a comprehensive approach to improving UK air quality. A key measure of this is the introduction of new Clean Air Zones in five cities (Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton), along with the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London. The Plan will tackle the most polluting vehicles in air pollution hotspots and will enable us to reach compliance with legal limits as quickly as possible.

The Mayor is responsible for air quality standards in London. The Mayor provides the framework and guidance which London boroughs use to review and improve air quality within their areas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-09-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 25 July (HL1340), what assessment they have made of the relative clinical benefits of the drug lenvatinib as opposed to sorafenib.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Ministers asked the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to develop technology appraisal guidance on the use of lenvatinb for the treatment of thyroid cancer on 22 July 2016. NICE plans to develop guidance on lenvatinib and sorafenib through the same technology appraisal and currently expects to publish draft guidance in October 2017.

In the absence of NICE guidance, it is for commissioners to make funding decisions based on the available evidence and on the patient’s individual clinical circumstances.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2015-12-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government for (1) England, (2) Scotland, and (3) Wales, how much was spent per capita on cancer services, and what is the national one-year cancer survival rate as a percentage of new patients for the most recent year available.

Lord Prior of Brampton

As health is a devolved matter, we are unable to provide data for Scotland or Wales.

The National Audit Office estimated that the cost of cancer services to the National Health Service in England in 2012-13 was £6.7 billion, although precise figures are not available.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the most recent available one-year age-standardised, all cancer survival rate for England for patients diagnosed in 2012, and followed up to 2013, is 69.3%.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-02-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton On 4 February (HL5341), what consideration the NHS has given to offering to share outcome data with test providers, where suitable consents can be captured, on the forthcoming re-procurement of the NHS regional genetics labs, such as from the National Cancer Intelligence Network; and what assessment they have made of the impact of doing so on their procurement process, in the light of the experience of Genomic Enterprise.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), strongly condemned the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s satellite launch of 7 February, which used ballistic missile technology in clear violation of a number of UN Security Council Resolutions. On 8 February the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), summoned the DPRK’s Ambassador to make clear the UK’s strong condemnation of the launch. The DPRK’s actions are a further threat to regional security and the stability of the Korean peninsula. It is clear that the DPRK continues to prioritise its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes over the welfare of its people.

We continue to work closely with other members of the UN Security Council to ensure significant and substantive measures are agreed in response to the DPRK’s provocations. On 8 February the Prime Minister, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Foreign Secretary raised this with the Chinese Ambassador and reiterated the need for progress on a new UN Resolution.

We are not part of discussions with the Republic of Korea on a missile defence system, but we respect and support our allies’ need to defend themselves.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-05-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many primary school sites in London exceeded EU limit values of NO2 due to diesel train emissions in each of the last five years.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

We do not hold information on the number of primary schools sites in London exceeding NO2 limit values due to diesel train emissions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-09-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what date the Department of Health referred lenvatinib to NICE for a full technology appraisal.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Ministers asked the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to develop technology appraisal guidance on the use of lenvatinb for the treatment of thyroid cancer on 22 July 2016. NICE plans to develop guidance on lenvatinib and sorafenib through the same technology appraisal and currently expects to publish draft guidance in October 2017.

In the absence of NICE guidance, it is for commissioners to make funding decisions based on the available evidence and on the patient’s individual clinical circumstances.